<1 ORNL/Sub/7010-1 POSSIBLE SALT MINE AND BRINED CAVITY SITES FOR : , n RADIOACTIVE WASTE DISPOSAL IN THE NORTHEASTERN (;'' 1 SOUTHERN PENINSULA OF MICHIGAN Kenneth K. Landes Consulting Geologist Ann Arbor, Michican and Harold L. Bourne Consulting Geologist Northville, Michican \ May 31, 1976 - - : if,- V ' A ^ v;, . • v This report was prepared by Kenneth K. Landes and v 1-, •• . I'-1 r. ' i •. , . • V", Harold L. Bourne under Consultant Subcontract 7010 • V\ I V'.l. ; , -v. , with Union Carbide Corporation, Nuclear Division. The subcontract was administered by Oak Ridge Natior/al Laboratory. - v''*'' v.'-1: QFFICE OF" WASTE! ISOLATION >y:>; \ ^ OAK RIDGE. TENNESSEE t f prepared for the U.S. ENERGY RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION under U.S. GOVERNMENT Contract W-7405 eng 26 This informal document contains information which is preliminary and may be fragmentary or of limited scope. The assumptions, views, and conclusions expressed in I V' this document are those of the authors and are not to be interpreted as those of Union Carbide Corporation, Nuclear Division, or liSERDA. DISTRIBUTION OF THIS DOCUMENT IS UNLIMITED POSSIBLE SALT MINE AND BRINED CAVITY SITES FOR RADIOACTIVE WASTE DISPOSAL IN THE NORTHEASTERN SOUTHERN PENINSULA OP MICHIGAN Second Edition by Kenneth K. Landes, Consulting Geologist, Ann Arbor MI assisted by Harold L. Bourne Consulting Geologist, Northville, MI Report prepared for Union Carbide Corporation, Nuclear Div., Energy, Research, and Development Administration, Oak Ridge, TN Subcontract 7010 31 May 1976 - NOTICE- 7W> report Wat prepared it an a<caunl of wotk sponsored by the tjnltw Stales Government. Neilhci the United States nor the United Slates Energy Research and Development Administration, nor any of their employees, not any of theit tOMsactota, subcoiutsctors, or their employees, mikes any wmnty, espress or Implied, or assumes any Ileal liability or responsibility Tor the accuracy,completeness ot userulne* of any information, apparatus, product or piocess disclosed, ot tepiesents that its use would not Infringe pHvately owned rights. DISTRIBUTION Or THIS DOCUMENT IS UNLIMITED CONTENTS Heading I'age Abstract i Introduction 1 Michigan Basin geology 6 Petroleum geology and leasing 10 Storage options in salt 14 Prospects 18 Preferred 18 1 20 2 23 3 27 4 30 5 33 6 35 7 39 Possible 43 Rejected 54 Conclusions 56 ILLUSTRATIONS Pipure No. After page 1 Structure contour map, top of Niagaran 6 2 Stratigraphic chart, northeastern Michigan .... 8 3 Michigan oil and gas field map 10 4 Elevations, first Salina salt 18 5 Aggregate thickness, Salina salt beds ...... 18 6 B salt thickness and elevation, northeastern Mich 18 7 Detroit River salt thickness map 43 8 Contours on first salt, D.R. Formation 43 ABSTRACT A reconnaissance report on the possibilities for dis- posal of radioactive waste in the northeastern states was prepared by me in 1972. This new report covers Michigan only, and is more detailed than the earlier one. It consists of the typed report and a folio containing both maps and photo- mosaics. Revised "ground rules" for pinpointing both mine and dissolved salt cavern sites for waste disposal include environmental, geologia, and economic factors. The Michigan basin is a structural bowl of Paleozoic sediments resting on downwarped Precarobrian rocks. The ccnter of the bowl is in Clare and Gladwin bounties, a short distance north of the middle of the Southern Peninsula. The strata dip toward tiiis central area, and soi.te stratigraphic sequences, including especially the salt-containing Silurian section, increase considerably in thickness in that direction. Much lesser amounts of salt are also present in the north central part of the Lower Peninsula. Michigan has been an oil and gas producing state since 1925 and now, many discoveries later, it is producing more of these hydrocarbons than ever before. Widespread explora- tion has had two effccts on selection of waste disposal sites: (1) large areas are leased for oil and gas; and (2) the bore- hole concentrations, whether producing wells, dry holes, or industrial brine wells that penetrated the salt section should be avoided. - i- Two types of nuclear waste, low level and high level, can be stored in man-made openings in salt bods. The storage facilities urc created by (1) the development of salt mines where the depths are less then 3000 ft., and (2) cavities produced by pumping water into a salt bed, and bringing brine buck out. The high level waste disposal must be confined to nines of limited depth, but the low level wastes can be ac- commodated in brine cavities at any depth. .Seven potential prospects have been investigated; all are in Alpena and Presque Isle Counties, 5 near the shore of Lake Huron and two inland. These are numbered 1 to 7, starting counter clockwise with a proposed site northeast of Alpena, and ending with an inland site to tiie west of Alpena. All 7 prospects arc definite possibilities for development. Two (Prospect 2 at :lockport near the shore and close to the Presque Isle County line, and Prospect 3 at Stoneport farther up the lake} arc not considered for exploration at this time because of the length of a railroad spur needed to service the devel- opment. However, the Ilockport site has other potential ad- vantages that might justify a spur. Mumbcr b, Adams Point, is in the 34 square mile U.S. Steel block and has all of the qualifications for acceptance. It is recommended as a nine site after core-drilling. Number S is a potential dissolved cavity low level waste site; it is 2 miles inland and west of Rogers City. Prospect 6, inland in Presque Isle County, is a potential mine or brine cavity prospect. A dry hole was drilled nearby with a record of adequate salt beds at reasonable depths. Prospect 7, west of Alpena, qualifies for at least a brine cavity disposal site, and a core drill hole is also recommended here. -iii INTRODUCTION The first edition covered Michigan and the other north- eastern salt states, and was dated 30 June, 1972. The Michigan discussion was limited to nine "prospects" extending along the eastern side of the state from Wyandotte to Presque. Isle Counties (map of state, showing counties, civil townships, and political townships in Folio on p. Fl). I had investigated in person and on foot all of these prospects. The subsurface geology was covercd by log studies and maps and reports made by the Michigan Geological Survey and others, including myself. I was requested in late 1975 to follow up this earlier work with a more detailed investigation, including additional prospective areas. Mr. Bourne joined me in early 1976. Oak Ridge personnel who have made suggestions include Thomas Lomonick, William McClain, J. V. Smith, and Oscar Turmelle (ERDA), as have Arthur Slaughter, Michigan State Geologist, and other members of the Department of Natural Resources Staff. The procedure followed has been: 1. A review of the 1972 report in light of the revised "ground rules" which follow. This resulted in the elimination of the four prospects in southeastern Michigan, to be discussed later. 2. A more detailed study of the remaining 5 prospects. This has included stratigraphic data, including salt beds, penetrated by new wells that have been drilled in the areas of interest. -1 - 3. An investigation oL" suggested new prospective areas; two of which have been added to the held-ovcr 5 and placed in the preferred list. 4. Other suggested areas for investigation, which either have been eliminated for cause or which require additional study. These are also discussed later. The report is in two bindings: (1) the manuscript and illustrations that can be adjusted to the 8 1/2 by 11 inch page format; and (2) folios that take care of the oversize illustrations, which are very significant. A "Pre-rcport covering items of immediate urgency" was issued on 19 April in order to give early attention as to where to stake the first core drill hole. Much of the contents in the pre-report are included here, but there have been elimina- tions and changes due to still newer information. Therefore it is recommended that the "Pre-report" copies be discarded in favor of this final report. Ground Rules Several important changes have been made since the 1972 report. Furthermore additional changes have been made while the detailed analyses were being prepared. The current list follows: 1. Both mine sites for high level radioactive wastes and deeper salt beds for solution mining of cavities for low level wastes arc to be sought. Any potential mining site is also a possible brine cavern site. Brining can be used in much deeper salts. -2- 2. Mine depths of less than 2000 feet arc preferred, but the word appears to bp that up to another thousand feet would be possible. 3. The Dow Chemical Company in Midland County, Michigan, is phasing out its brine operations in the Lucas (Detroit River Group) salt in favor of brining deeper Salina salt bods (rang in;; from 6100 ft to 8570 ft) apparently without serious pressure flowage. The cavities are always filled with brine. <i . A minimum mined bed thickness of 15 ft lias been given, but much thicker salt is available. 5. A sturdy roof is essential. Most salt qualifies. 6. Gas and oil bearing strata are unwelcome in the imncdiatc vicinity. 7. Urine galleries produced by nearby solution mining in the same salt beds must be avoided. S. The fewer the drilled holes through the salt section the better. Old drillings, without adequate plugging and with hazy locations, should be shunned. 9. The lesser the population density the better. 10, The site should be close enough to a railroad so that a short spur iv-ould suffice.